The invention relates to improving the properties of Diesel fuels and, more particularly, to a process and catalyst for incorporating oxygen into the fuel.
There is a need for Diesel fuel having lower exhaust emissions. Diesel fuel containing oxygen can meet some desired specification, but only by improving the cetane number and reducing particulate emissions. A problem remains in connection with NOx emissions. Various ways are known for introducing oxygen into Diesel fuel, but all have their drawbacks, including expensive and severe processing, poor properties of the product, poor distribution of the oxygen through the product and the like.
Despite many attempts at different ways of introducing oxygen-containing molecules into Diesel fuel, the need clearly remains for a process for introducing such oxygen containing molecules into the fuel which is effective at reducing the NOx emissions of the fuel as well as improving other properties.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a process for producing such a fuel.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a Diesel fuel containing oxygen distributed over the entire distillation point range of the fuel.
It is another object of the invention to provide a catalyst which is effective in production of such a fuel.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear herein below.